SLO County schools are asking for more than $305 million this election. What would it go to?
School districts across the county will ask local taxpayers for over $300 million in school bonds this year.
Come November, voters in the Atascadero, Lucia Mar and Templeton school districts will be asked to approve general obligation bonds intended to fund repairs and updates to school facilities.
Proposed bond projects range from removing lead and asbestos from aging school buildings in the Lucia Mar Unified School District, to renovating laboratories for STEM education in North County schools.
If approved, the bonds would generate local property taxes to fund the projects. General obligation bonds typically need a simple majority vote —55% — to pass. By law, all school bond funds must stay local.
Here’s a look at each bond measure, what it would fund and who it would impact.
Measure B: Atascadero Unified School District
The Atascadero Unified School District will float a $110 million general obligation bond in November.
If approved, Measure B would boost the local tax burden by an estimated average of $45.19 per $100,000 in assessed property value, according to the county’s impartial analysis of the measure. The rate is estimated not to exceed $49. The bond is projected to be paid off by 2055.
According to the school district, the bond funds would be used to:
- Renovate and expand vocational and career technical education facilities and workshops
- Repair or replace portable classrooms, old wiring systems, HVAC systems, leaky roofs and plumbing systems
- Expand accessibility in classrooms, hallways, bathrooms, walkways and playgrounds
- Establish a high school career center
- Expand mental health facilities
- Install emergency communications and alarm systems
- Provide classrooms and laboratories for science, technology, math, arts and engineering program
Atascadero currently has one outstanding bond, which voters approved in 2010 and again in 2014. The district’s current tax rate sits at $55 per $100,000, according to the district, which refinanced the bond earlier this year.
If passed, Measure B would increase the rate by a maximum of $49, for a maximum total of $104 per $100,000 in assessed value.
Measure D: Templeton Unified School District
The Templeton Unified School District will seek a $52.3 million general obligation bond this November.
If approved, Measure D would increase local tax burden by a estimated average of $59.06 per $100,000 in assessed property value, according to the county’s impartial analysis of the measure. The tax rate is estimated not to exceed $60. The bond is projected to be paid off by 2054.
According to the school district, the bond funds would be used to:
- Install keyless point-of-entry systems and update security systems
- Expand accessibility on campuses
- Update computer labs, networks and technology infrastructure
- Renovate aging facilities and classrooms
- Update vocational and career technical education facilities
- Replace aging HVAC system, leaky roofs and plumbing
- Repair bathrooms
- Update science, technology, engineering, math and arts facilities
Templeton currently has one outstanding bond — Measure H — which voters approved in 2012. The district’s current tax rate sits at $51.96 per $100,000, according to the district. The rate is set to go down due to refinancing completed this year.
If passed, Measure D would increase the rate by a maximum of $60, for a maximum total of $111.96 per $100,000 in assessed value.
Measure H: Lucia Mar Unified School District
The Lucia Mar Unified School District will float a $143.2 million general obligation bond this November.
If approved, Measure H would increase the local tax burden by an estimated average of $19.76 per $100,000 in assessed property value, according to the county’s impartial analysis of the measure. The tax rate is estimated not to exceed $20. The bond is projected to be paid off by 2060.
According to the school district, the bond funds would:
- Remove asbestos and lead pipes from aging school sites
- Replace outdated roofing, plumbing, electrical systems and gas and sewer lines
- Upgrade schools to comply with current health, building safety and accessibility requirements
- Replace portable classrooms with permanent classrooms
- Provide and equip laboratories and career technical education facilities
- Update science, technology, engineering and math facilities and technology
Lucia Mar has one outstanding bond — Measure I — which voters approved in the 2016 election.
The current tax rate for the outstanding bond is $28 per $100,000. If passed, Measure H would increase the rate by a maximum of $20, for a total of $48 per $100,000 in assessed value, until Measure I is paid off.
What about Proposition 2?
San Luis Obispo County voters will see another school funding measure on their ballots this fall — Proposition 2.
Prop 2 is a statewide ballot measure that, if approved, would authorize the state government to borrow up to $10 billion in general obligation bonds to renovate and build new public school buildings statewide, according to the California Secretary of State’s website.
The measure is estimated to cost the state an additional $500 million annually for 35 years. Taxpayers would shell out around $18 billion to fund the measure — the original $10 billion, plus another $8 billion in interest.
Supporters of Proposition 2 include the California Teachers Association and the Community College League of California. Opponents include the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, a nonprofit that lobbies against tax hikes in California.
The proposition would require annual audits.
This story was originally published October 9, 2024 at 12:00 AM.
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